October 2025 wettest in 20 years
Photo used for indicative purpose only. Source Internet
Himachal records 173% excess Rainfall, Bilaspur tops with 613% surge
Shimla, Oct 31,
Himachal Pradesh witnessed the wettest October in two decades as the state recorded 68.5 mm of rainfall against the normal of 25.1 mm, marking an excess of 173 per cent, according to data released by the Meteorological Centre Shimla. The month’s rainfall was the fourteenth highest since 1901 and the highest since 2005, while the all-time record remains 1955 when the state had received 413.5 mm. Meteorologists said the unusual increase was triggered by two back-to-back vigorous western disturbances that lashed the state between October 6 and 8, turning what is usually a dry post-monsoon month into one of heavy precipitation and thunderstorm activity.
Almost every district of the state received large excess rainfall during the month. Bilaspur district recorded the most dramatic increase, with 92.6 mm of rain against a normal of just 13 mm, translating into a staggering 613 per cent departure from the average. Solan followed with a 340 per cent excess, while Mandi, Kangra, Una, Sirmaur, Kullu and Hamirpur also recorded more than double their normal rainfall. Shimla district logged a moderate but still significant 131 per cent excess. The lowest rainfall was reported from Kinnaur, which received 37.6 mm against a normal of 22.7 mm, recording a 66 per cent surplus, making it the driest region of the month even though it too remained in the “large excess” category.
The month’s heaviest spells occurred between October 6 and 8, which together contributed nearly 80 per cent of the total rainfall. On October 8, Naina Devi in Bilaspur was drenched with 132.6 mm and Solan town recorded 119.6 mm, while several other locations, including Berthin, Pachhad and Kasauli, saw rainfall between 60 and 80 mm. On October 7, Wangtoo in Kinnaur received 88 mm, Kheri in Chamba 79 mm, and Pachhad in Sirmaur 78.2 mm. These widespread and vigorous rains followed an otherwise subdued pattern, as most other days of October remained dry or witnessed only weak to isolated precipitation.
The long-term rainfall pattern shows that October has mostly remained below normal since 2010, with several years registering severe deficits of up to 90 per cent. In that backdrop, 2025 stands out as an exceptional outlier with rainfall levels not seen since the mid-2000s. Experts say the trend could be associated with delayed monsoon withdrawal and increasing moisture intrusions over the northwestern Himalayas, possibly linked to changing climatic conditions. The heavy post-monsoon showers have helped recharge soil and water bodies across the hill state but also raised concerns of renewed slope instability and landslides in saturated zones.
The Meteorological Centre has predicted light rain or snowfall at isolated places in the first week of November, particularly on the 4th and 5th, followed by generally dry weather. With October ending as the wettest in twenty years, 2025 has become a remarkable year for extreme rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, where the monsoon season and the post-monsoon month together rewrote the state’s weather history.
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